Obama Golfs, Hayward Boats While BP Oil Slick Grows

With Democratic wingnuts like John Stewart and Maureen Dowd not only ridiculing his response to the BP oil spill but even questioning his competence, President Obama does not need Republican wingnuts like Rush Limbaugh and Glen Beck.

But the “friendly fire” Obama is now taking from these liberal pundits merely exposes the fact that, just like their conservative counterparts, they are more interested in entertaining their respective audiences than in offering constructive criticisms of Obama’s policies and job performance.

Frankly, nothing betrays the showbiz nature of politics today quite like the fact that more Americans are informed and influenced by political jokes on late-night talk shows than by political debates on Sunday morning programs.

That said, I have to take issue with what Obama’s chief of staff, Rahm Emmanuel, said last Sunday morning on This Week.

First, though, let me state for the record, that unlike Stewart and Dowd, I remain as supportive of and hopeful for Obama’s presidency as I was when he was first elected.  Never mind that I have probably been more critical than they of some of his policies (like escalating the war in Afghanistan), his political moves (like expressing profane anger at BP just to appease idiots like Spike Lee), and even his speeches (like his first Oval Office Address).  

This is why I find it so disappointing when his supporters and staffers resort to political spin and flagrant hypocrisy to defend his policies, political moves, and speeches.  This is what Emmanuel did on Sunday when he tried to reconcile demonizing BP CEO Tony Hayward for using his free time to participate in a boat race on the hand, while excusing Obama for using his free time to play golf on the other.

After all, there’s no reason why either man should have to sit vigil while BP and federal workers continue their futile efforts to plug the gushing well and clean up the metastasizing slick.  There’s a lot to criticize both men for, but taking a little time to enjoy themselves,  on a Father’s Day weekend no less, is not one of them.

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